To ask what salary...

[prettyisall]

I've just been having a chat with a friend about salary as he is currently on the look out for a new job, he was quite surprised when I told him my salary.

It's got me thinking, so what kind of Salary would you expect from this role?

Main duties:
Providing bespoke quotations to suit customers needs

Taking orders and entering onto account systems

Sending proforma invoices / taking payment

Putting together production sheets using formulas on excel for every order (always bespoke)

Answering phone and email queries

Outsourcing costs for components / ordering them when needed (this is not so often)

Taking care of all social media and website

Making Eflyers for marketing campaigns

All other basic administrative duties such as keeping spreadsheets up to date.

Location - Suffolk.
Time at Company - 15 years
Around 15 employees.

Just out of interest, what hours do you work Op? Also, what is the standard working week for your company?

In April minimum wage goes up to £9.50 per hour. On a 40 hour working week that will equate to a salary of £19,760.

I made the mistake of going from a 9 to 5 public sector job to a higher paid but much longer hours private sector job. When I worked out my hourly rate my head nearly popped off! I think working out the hourly rate helps to focus the mind!

Without a detailed breakdown the majority of your tasks are performed by uni society committees across the country, with zero training.

Social media : Updating every now and then vs. curated posts, strategy?
Bespoke quotes : Do you have specific product knowledge, or just enter numbers in a spreadsheet?
E-flyers : Design from scratch or bang one out in 5 minutes with Canva?

@prettyisall

To be honest, I can't remember what I started on all those years ago but I think it was around 17k, so no, I haven't had much of a raise in 15 years. We have a cost of living pay review in March so il speak up then 😬

Oh wow!! That’s actually really upset me for you OP, even though you seem ok with it. Even 20 K is very much an entry-level salary right now and with all of the experience and loyalty that you have to your company, I really hope they give you a substantial increase to reflect your worth. Even though the money doesn’t seem to be a massive factor for you, it may be worth doing some research and looking at comparable jobs to use in your review in March. Given how much the price of everything around us is increased, you’re effectively losing money every year by being on the same pay each year!

Salary is odd in the UK as there are dimensions that can have enormous influences:
sector (compare financial services with high street retail or care);
the tier of the offering within the sector (compare magic circle legal with high street/legal aid);
geography (LASER v nations and regions);
size, ownership and scale of the firm (small family owned where every penny paid is a penny 'stolen' from the owners compared with a large MNC); and
business function (compare sales or roles directly related to P and L with admin).

Any one of these can lead to massive multiples more earnings. A conversation with the children before leaving school can be helpful.

I have seen an increase in applicants in their twenties for whom the social value and 'worthiness' of the company and the 'instagrammability' of the role against salary seems important to a higher % of people than in more mercenary times.

Good luck, OP, let's hope they value you more.

Sounds like my job. I don’t even know what mine is salary wise as I’m part time and paid hourly. I’m on 10.50 per hour

Also in a bigger org you might get the exact same tasks but more complex because of the coordination.
Spreadsheets would need info from various teams, flyers can't be sent out without relevant sign-off.

Photocopying/envelope stuffing is outdated, most things are online.

It seems like you're the one admin person in a small business in which case I'd expect 20-25K, but it depends on the businesses. How much do the others earn?

That's low. You should be on around £25-£28.

I would have guessed 20k as it’s basic admin (nothing wrong with that) and I’ve found social media stuff often gets pushed into admin staff but it’s not the same as roles that are solely about social media and marketing which are more money. It’s that crap bits of those roles that get pushed to admin!
I would say thought after 15 years 17-20 is disappointing. Are there no opportunities to progress?

OP I have read the first few replies so apols if i am repeating what others have said. My initial thought was lowish 20s, but tbh if you are really doing social media and website then that is a very valued skillset and you could earn a lot more.

If that involves posting on Facebook once a month then not so much, but web editing skills are v useful, as is the knowledge of English needed to do it well.

I was in an NHS comms role - so not all the admin bits you do but social media and web and I earned nearer £30k (plus the NHS pays poorly IME). There are roles about as a comms officer for about £23+ if that interested you.

25k?

For those saying "it's Suffolk" be aware that Suffolk ranges from relatively low-wage areas in the north of the county to much higher wages further south, either in Suffolk or in the neighbouring counties.

Haverhill is 30 minutes from Cambridge, Sudbury just 30 minutes from Stansted Airport - both relatively high-wage locations within easy commuting distance of south west Suffolk.

I'm glad to read you'll be speaking up. That's very low after so many years.

£25kish

Are you full time?

It could vary from a recent graduate (£23k ish), or a school leaver starting around £18k, increasing with experience and how complicated the detail, especially around quote building and social media. £25k - £30k for the more complicated and involved end of the role.

It’s interesting that many of you think length of service means higher salary. Surely the role is assessed at a grade irrelevant of who’s carrying it out, with the exception of a small increment due to the learning curve ? You don’t want a situation where staff are carrying out the same role but on different salaries.

I thought 28K

@ThePlumVan only in the context that after 15 years that inflationary increases often have an impact, not because it means that the post holder deserves to be paid more for an equivalent role

It’s interesting that many of you think length of service means higher salary. Surely the role is assessed at a grade irrelevant of who’s carrying it out, with the exception of a small increment due to the learning curve ? You don’t want a situation where staff are carrying out the same role but on different salaries.

I think it depends on the sector and size of the organisation and how strict the job descriptions are. In OP's situation where over time the role has changed and expanded to incorporate more responsibilities, I'd expect that to be reflected in the salary.

Until recently a lot of public sector organisations did increase pay just because of time in role. You would move up the 'spine points' each year. I think that's starting to change now though.

You should be on more. I did a similar job years ago and started on 28k. Creating marketing documents and handling social media etc. is not basic admin, they are taking advantage of you I think. You should never stay in a job that long without a significant raise/progression - people start taking you for granted. Ask for a raise! If they don't give it then I'd start looking for a better paid role, which shouldn't be a problem with your experience.

@hariborabbit

It’s interesting that many of you think length of service means higher salary. Surely the role is assessed at a grade irrelevant of who’s carrying it out, with the exception of a small increment due to the learning curve ? You don’t want a situation where staff are carrying out the same role but on different salaries.

I think it depends on the sector and size of the organisation and how strict the job descriptions are. In OP's situation where over time the role has changed and expanded to incorporate more responsibilities, I'd expect that to be reflected in the salary.

Until recently a lot of public sector organisations did increase pay just because of time in role. You would move up the 'spine points' each year. I think that's starting to change now though.

It is true that as you gain experience within a role then you'd expect small bumps (in addition to any cost of living increase) but only up to a point, and people doing the same job should be on the same scale/rate otherwise the company will be breaking the law.

I'd say 30k

Definitely ask for a payrise

That would be Band 4 NHS so 25k

The office manager at my work was on £28k when I went on maternity leave last June. She’s 27ish and has worked for the company since she left school at 18. She usually gets a raise of £1k per year. We’re also in a low paid area, so I also think you’re way underpaid OP.

I even get more than you (22k) and I do similar stuff, only more accounts stuff like payroll than quotes/social media.